Wire straightener



Feb. 22, 1949. R. D. HELLER 2,462,396

WIRE STRAIGHTENER Filed May 10, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVNTOR. RICHARD D. HELLER H h ATTORNEY-S Feb. D HELLER WIRE STRAIQHTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1946 INVENTOR. RICHARD D. HELLER ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 22,1949

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,462,396 WIRE STRAIGHTENER Richard D. Heller, Tujunga, Calif. Application May 10, 1946, SerialNo. 668,789

9 Claims.

:eners, of the general type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,228,390 of January 14, 1941. l

The present invention resembles that of my prior patent in that wire bending elements, disposed along a path through which the wire is drawn, are arranged for the purpose of bending the wire back and forth repeatedly to relieve the stresses and the set which it may have acquired previously, and to the end that it may emerge straight and free from bends or sets. However, in the invention of my previous patent successive wire bending elements were so arranged as to bend the wire from its path, first in one direction next in a direction 120 removed from the first direction, and thenin a direction at 120 removed from the second direction, repeating this process, and changing the direction of bend as the wire passed from one wire bending element to the next. Never was the first bend immediately and directly reversed, in the same plane. Always a succeeding bend was in a different plane. It sometimes happened, in using that wire straightener, that the successive and continuous rotation of the plane of bending, progressively round about the general path of the wire, produced a coiling efiect in the wire, rather than a straightening effect. In other words, the molecules of the wire were given a progressive set; and the Wire was caused to twist about its median axis, instead of being straightened. Nevertheless bending in several different planes is necessary to the proper removal of set, and the straightening of the wire. By careful andminute adjustments of the spacing of the wire bending elements, and sometimes by repeatedly passing the wire through the straightener-at different adjustments, to give less bendingwith successive passes through the straightenenthe wire could be more or less straightened with the straightener of the patent. This, however, was a rather tedious and delicate operation, and for such reasons was not altogether satisfactory. The art has continued to search for abetter means to accomplish the straightening of wire.

It is the primary object of the present invention'toprovide a wire straightener which, while still bending the wire repeatedly in opposite directions, and in several planes rotated about the axis or path of the wire, will do so in such manner that there is no tendency imparted to the Wire to coil, but rather the wire, usually in" a single pass, comes out of the machine fully straightened to all intents and purposes, and with its :moleculesin a neutral or straight set.

2 The device of the patent was inherently restriated toonly a few wire bending elements, and it was, difiicultto thread a wire through it, or to afford it the range of adjustment desirable. One of the objects of this invention is 'toQovercome these objectionsdrawbacks, or deficiencies.- It is also an object of this invention toprovide a wire straightener of the nature indicated, which is readily adjustable in all. parts ,simuhtaneously and in the same amount to accomplish either more pronounced bending in wireof given gauge, or to accommodate wires of different gauges.

Another object i's'so to arrange thewirebnding elements in each individual set that the wire may be given, if desired, a progressively greater and then a progressively lessened degree of bend.- ing as it passes through each setfto' the end that by increasing the'abruptness of theben'd, p'revious'set in the wire can be eliminated, and then by immediately decreasing the abruptness of the bending, to eliminate any set whichmight have been given to it by the abrupt bending for removal of previous sets. i I Associated with the latter object, it is also an object to provide in such a wirestraighteiier means for varying the spacing between the wire bending elements, so that the abruptness of bend-'- ing may be varied to suit the requirements of l the user;

It is alsoan object to guide the wire through the straightener by means such as grooved roll ers, and to mount these rollers 'so'that they will hold the wire, as it passes through the straightener, generally in its proper path, butwill' yield slightly to permit slight departures from this path, such as may be required by a previous set in the wire,"for the removal of which it is being passed through the straightener.

Among other objects, it is an object to provide a wire straightener of the general type indicated, which is of simple, rugged construction, easily adjusted and held in any adjusted position, which is simple and accurate in its construction, and convenient to operate. Other objects may be ascertained as the detailed description of the invention proceeds. d

The invention comprises the novel wire straightener, the novel parts thereof, and the novel method, all as hereinafter disclosed and claimed.

."In the accompanying drawings the invention is shownembodied in a typical form, such as is now preferred by me.

. central section of the wire straightener.

Figure 3 is an end View of the machine, and Figure 4 is a cross section thereof substantially on the line 4- of Figure 1.

Figure 5,is an isometric detail of one of the frames and parts mounted therein.

Figure '6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative arrangement of wire bending elements in a single frame, and the relative positions they may assume as a wire is passingtherethrough.

The present invention contemplates the straightening of a wire which has. acquired a permanent set by bending it back and forth, and in various directions or planes, until the set of the molecules of the wire has been destroyed, and

eventually to leave the wire with its molecules in neutralv position rela-tive to the median axis of "the-strand, and with the wire thus'straight. To

dothis requires repeated bending, and while the machine of my prior patent attempted to bend the 'Wire repeatedly, each successive bend was in a planedifferent from the plane of the preceding bend. Moreover, the machine was by its inherent nature limited to a relatively small numberof bends, and even so, it was difficult to thread 'through'it initially a'wil'e which was badly set "or 'kinked. The present invention insures that as many bends back and forth as maybe reduired can be given to the Wire in its passage through the machine, and yet that all parts of the machine are open and accessible so that the wire may readily beythreaded through the machine, "whatever maybe its length. However,

' rather thanattem'pting to bend the wire first in one direction, then in another directionoriented angularly about the path of the'wire, and then in' a'third direction, etc., I have discovered that it isb'est straightened if it is repeatedly bent back and forth all in a single plane, 'before'it is bent 'b'aokand forthin a different plane. I have discovered that it should be bent back and forth repeatedly and oppositely in one plane, to an extent sufficient to remove the set of molecules in this plane, and thereafter it should be bent back and. forthrepeatedly and oppositelyin a different plane, for'the same purpose, and then in another plane; thus it is bent back and forth repeatedly in each of several successive planes, which are preferably oriented equian'gularly ahoutthe path of the wire. I have found that it is desirable to'give the wire at least three such repeated bendings, in three planes spaced at 120 to one another, in order to remove all the previous set, and to deliver the wire substantially free from unneutral set, and straight.

V I have discovered, too, that the straightening can best'be accomplished if the abruptness of the bends, in any given series in one plane, is progressively varied as the wire passes through its path, and'is thus bent. Preferably the bending progressively increases in abruptness, and then decreases in abruptness, all while the bending is occurring in one single plane, for the progressively increasingly abrupt bend best and most frames, as 2 l,

frames in any section may be designated 21 and 22, to distinguish them apart. Extending from side to "side of each such frame are pintles H1, in generally parallel relationship. These pintles might themselves constitute the wire bending elements, but preferably grooved rollers I, mounted thereon intermediate their ends, are the actual wire bending elements. In effect, then, the rollers are part of the pintles, as far as concerns their bending functions. However, the

rollers are preferably slidable lengthwise of the pintles, for reasons which will shortly appear. The pintles and'r'ollers of one of the paired constitute one group, and the rollers and pintles of the other frame 22 constitute a second group, while the rollers and pintles of two such cooperating groups may be termed a set, in which the pintles and rollers in the two groups are staggered, or arranged in alternation, as is clearly seen in Figure 2, whereby they constitute a'sinuouspath for the wire W.

A rod 25, overlying a ledge 24, at each of two opposite edges of a frame 2, retains the ends of the pintles. 'Spa'cing'between the pintles of each groupis governed by'spacer blocks 2301? U shape in cross section (see Figure 5),'which rest upon the ledgers 24,1 and'which straddle the rods 25. By substituting spacer blocks of different lengths the spacing between the pintles of a given group may be varied.

Preferably the spacing of these pintles is such that the centralpintles of the two groups are less widely spaced than the outer pintles of the cooperating groups, and the spacing progressively varies fromthe narrower spacing of the center pintles to the wider spacing of the outer pintles. This gives to the wire W the greatest abruptness of bending back and forth at the center of its passage through a given set, and progressively less abrupt bending towards the ends of a given set.

'It is desirable to vary the-amplitude of the sinuosity of the'bend, either so that-a wire may be less abruptly bent in one pass through the straightener than in another, or in order to accommodate wires of different gauge. Accordingly, each frame is pivoted adjacent one edge, and the opposite frames of each pair are pivoted at respectively opposite edges. Thus, as Figure 3 best illustrates, the frame 2| is fixedlypivoted to a support 3 "at the .point 26, and the frame 22 is fixedly pivoted to the'same support at the point 21. Journaled at 30 in the fixed support 3 is a crank, or preferably a disk-like'element, 4, notched at diametrically opposite points inits periphery, as indicated'at 46 and d'L'and two of the rods 25 are extended and received in these notches. One rod 25'of'the frame 2| is received inthe notch 46, and one rod 2 5 of the frame 22 is received in the notch 41. Rotation of the disk l about its journal in a bearingbushing, which isconcentric withthe general path of the wire 'W, and which is bored for the passage of the wire, "will'effe'ct swinging of ther'es'pective frames 2| and 22 by like amounts, to cause them to approach or recede one relative to the other. By swinging them widely apart the sinuosity of the bends in the wire is reduced substantially to zero, or is removed completely, and the wire may be threaded freely through between the several rollers l of the set.

As has been indicated, the rollers l are disposed generally at the mid-point of their respective pintles, all in a common plane, as shown in Figure 4. Relative adjustment of the frames 2| and 22 of each pair will effect some slight offsetting of the rollers of the respectiveframes from their common plane. Moreover, when the wire is somewhat set or kinked it will tend to deflect the rollers as it passes between them, as

is suggested in Figure 6. To retain the rollers generally in a common plane, yet to permit them to yield under such conditions, compression coil springs I l are employed, surrounding each pintle and interposed between each roller and the spacer blocks at opposite ends of the pintle.

.It will be noted that the three sections A, B,

and C have their frames arranged in planes disposed at 120 relative to one another. Thus the wire in being drawn through from right to left is given repeated bendings in the section A, and then, in a plane oriented at 120 to the plane of the .bends in section A, it is given in section B "repeated bendings.

Again, when it reaches section C it is given repeated bendings back and forth in a plane which is oriented at 120 to the planes of bend in each of sections A and B. It has now completed the bending in each of three planes,

but all the bendings back and forth in each such plane were completed before the wire was bent fin some other plane.

' The relative adjustment of the two frames 2! and 22 of a given pair has already been described.

It is very desirable that like adjustment be made ;of the frames in all sets simultaneously. A rock shaft is mounted upon the support 3,'and is connected by arms 5| and links M to similar points 40 upon each of the disks 4. Each link is connected at 52 to its arm 5i for precise initial adjustment, Preferably two such disks 4 are provided for each set of frames, one at each end of each set. Adjustment of all sets in unison is accomplished by oscillation of the control handle 53 (see Figure 4), and the parts may be secured in adjusted position by lock nuts 55 or similar means upon the locking link 56.

It is believed that the operation of the device will now be clear. By oscillating the control arm 53 the frames 2| and 22 may be spaced most widely apart, sufficiently that a wire may be readily passed through the journal bushings 30, and between the rollers I of each successive set. Its end, when it has been completely passed through the machine, is grasped by any suitable means, not shown here, by which it can be drawn through the machine. The frames are then adjusted by swinging them upon their pivots 26, 21, to cause them to approach, until the wire in its passage through the machine is given just so much bending as is required to remove its previous set, and to leave it straight when it emerges. Usually this can be accomplished in a single pass through the machine, for the wire is given a progressively abrupt and then a progressively less abrupt bending, but all in one plane as it passes between the rollers of each set, and in the different sets it is so bent back and forth repeatedly in a different plane. The parts can all be very precisely held in positions relative .in effect apart, of the pintles, and might be omitted, so far as concerns their function of bending the wire back and forth.

I claim as my invention:

4. A wire straightener comprising a set of rollers disposed all in a common plane but staggered to definea sinuous path in such plane,,the exterior rollers of the set being progressively more widely spaced apart than the interior rollers, and two additional sets of rollers similarly disposed in each set, and each defining a sinuousrpath generally aligned with that of the first set, but arranged in planes at approximately from each otherand from the plane of the first set.

2. A wire straightenercomprisinga setof rollers disposed all in a common plane but staggered todefine a sinuous path in such plane, the exterior rollers of the set being progressively more widely spaced apartthan the interior rollers, two

additional sets of rollers similarly disposed in each set, and each defining a sinuous path generally aligned with thatof the first set, but arranged in planes at approximately 120 from each other common to all sets to adjust said rollers in each set, and simultaneously and by like amounts in all sets, relatively transversely of such path ,to vary the amplitude of sinuousity Or to accommodate a different gauge of wire.

3. Ina wire straightener, two marginal frames disposed side by side in parallel planes a plurality of wire bending elements including pintles spanning each frame and paralleling each other, the group of pintles of one frame alternating with those of the group carried by the other frame, all such wire bending elements being arranged to define a sinuous path in a common plane transverse to the planes of the frames, and means for causing said frames to approach or recede from each other, to vary the amplitude of sinuousity of such path.

4. In a wire straightener, two marginal frames disposed side by side in parallel planes, means pivotally mounting one frame along one edge and the other frame along its opposite edge, a plurality of wire bending elements including parallel pintles spanning each frame, transversely of said pivot means, the group of pintles of one frame alternating with those of the group carried by the other frame, all said wire bending elements being arranged to define a sinuous path in a common plane transverse to the planes of the frames, and means engaging the swinging edges of both frames, and movable to shift such swinging edges simultaneously towards or from the pivoted edges of the adjoining frame.

5. A wire straightener comprising a plurality of pairs of marginal frames, the frames of each pair being disposed side by side in parallel planes, and the frames of each other pair being disposed similarly, but in planes at an angle to the planes of all other pairs, means pivotally mounting one frame of each pair along one edge and the other frame along its opposite edge, a plurality of wire bending elements including parallel .pintles ar- Iranged transversely of the pivot means in' each frame, the wire bending elements in the group of one'fram'e of eachpair alternating with those of the group carried by the other frame, all said wire bending elements in one pair of frames being arranged to-define a sinuous path in a common plane transverse to the planes of the frames, and the several pairs of frames being alignedin such pairs of frames, and'means enframes simultaneously pivoted edge of the paired frame.

6. "A wire straightener as in claim 5, including a support common to the pivotsof all frames, a

, multiple crank member mounted in said support ,for rotation about an axis generally coinciding with the sinuous path defined by said wire bending elements, and apertured for passage of a wire along such path, said crank member constituting,

the m'eans of claim 5 which is engaged with the swinging edge of each frame, and operating ,means to rotate said crank member into and retain-it in any adjusted position, for correspond- -iI1grelative adjustment of the frames.

'7. A wire straightener as in claim 5, including a support common to the pivots of all frames,

pairs of disks, one at each end of a pair of frames,

mounted in said support for rotationabout an axis generally coinciding defined by said wire bending elements, and. apertured for passage of a wire along such path, said disks constituting the means of claim 5 which with the sinuous path is engaged with the swinging edge of each frame, and operating means operatively connected to all said disks, to rotate the latter, and thereby to effect relative adjustment of said frames and their rollers. V V

8. In a wire straightener, a generallyrectangular frame, a rod extending lengthwise thereof just inside each of two opposite edges, and a ledge spaced from each rod, a plurality of parallel pintles, extending transversely of said frame, with their ends resting upon said ledges, and retained by said rods, U-shaped spacer blocks interposed between the ends of said pintles, resting upon said ledges and straddling said rods, and a roller-mounted upon each .pintle intermediate its ends.

9, In a wire straightener, a generally rectangular frame, a rod extending lengthwise-thereof just inside each of two opposite edges, and a.

ledge spaced from each rod, a plurality of para]- elpintles extending transversely of said frame,

with their ends resting upon. said ledges, and retainedby said rods, U-shaped spacer blocks interposed between the ends of said pintles, resting upon said ledges and'straddling said rods, a roller slidablymounted upon each pintle, and compression coil springs encircling said rods, and reactingbetween said spacer blocks and said rollers to retain each of the latter yieldably in its normal position lengthwise of its rod.

RICHARD D.'I-IELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 226,175 Kenerson Apr. 6, 1880 1,414,371 Nilson May 2, 1922 1,751,094 Matteson Mar. 18, 1930 1,936,679 7 Leech Nov. 28, 1933 1,954,525 Hallden Apr. 10, 1934 2,228,390 Heller Jan. 14, 1941 2,274,636 7 Buck Feb. 24, 1942 2,369,234 Illmer Feb. 13, 1945 

